Xfinity
Six cable and two fiber internet plans are available from Xfinity, which is owned by Comcast. Prices for cable plans start as low as $29.99 per month for download speeds of 15 Mbps and upload speeds of 2 Mbps. At the top of the range are cable plans that cost $69.99 per month for 600 Mbps download speeds and 20 Mbps upload speeds. Fiber internet plans are available in some areas up to 2 Gbps, but this costs a hefty $299 a month. Discounts are available for self-installation, autopay, paperless billing, and one-year service agreements. Plans are limited to 1 TB of data and come with free security software and access to a nationwide network of Wi-Fi hotspots. Service is available in 39 states and Washington, D.C.
AT&T Internet
One of the oldest US telecom companies, AT&T keeps things simple and offers two main plans: Internet 100 and Internet 1000. As the names suggest, Internet 100 and 1000 offer speeds up to 100Mbps and 1Gbps, respectively. The faster plan uses fiber internet and eschews the 1TB data cap.
Every plan starts at $45 right now for the first 12 months, so you can splurge on extra speeds with no immediate added costs. You can also pick up a $100 AT&T Prepaid Mastercard right now when you order online with plans above 25Mbps. That said, AT&T also offers plans with speeds as low as 5Mbps for those who want to spend a bit less. Also, the company provides generally-reliable internet to 15.7 million people with its broadband service and 3.1 million people with its fiber service.
Typically, AT&T internet plans come with a 1TB data cap. It’s probably more than your family could ever use in a month, but thanks to the current pandemic, you won’t have to worry about that. AT&T has suspended data caps through at least the end of 2020.
You can also bundle your plan with DirecTV, AT&T TV, and AT&T wireless service to save even more on your internet. If you connect DirecTV or AT&T TV right now, AT&T will also throw in a $100 reward card to sweeten the deal.
Verizon Fios
Verizon Fios takes first place in our rating of the Best Internet Service Providers of 2021. It excels when it comes to performance and reliability – two elements Greenblatt says are significant for internet customer satisfaction. Plans for Verizon’s fiber internet range from 200 to 940 Mbps, and there are no data caps limiting your monthly data usage. Availability is currently limited to select areas in the Northeast.
Spectrum
Spectrum Internet, also tied for third, is offered by Charter Communications. The standard no-contract plan has download speeds of 100 Mbps and upload speeds of 10 Mbps. The cost is $49.99 per month for one year for new subscribers, and standard rates apply after the year is up. The fastest plan, Spectrum Internet Gig, promises download speeds of 940 Mbps and upload speeds of 35 Mbps. You get a lot of extras with Spectrum. In addition to unlimited data, you get a free modem and antivirus software, as well as access to a nationwide network of Wi-Fi hotspots. Service is available in 42 states.
Cox
Five Cox internet plans use a combination of fiber and cable technologies, providing high-speed internet in 16 states. They cost $29.99 to $99.99, with download speeds of 10 to 1,000 Mbps and upload speeds of 1 to 35 Mbps. The Gigablast S plan, starting at $99.99, uses fiber only and has equal download/upload speeds of 1,000 Mbps (1 Gbps). Plans max out at 1.25 TB of data, and you can purchase extra data if you need it. Contracts aren’t required, but your rates will be lower if you sign up for a one-year plan. Early contract termination costs up to $120.
Frontier Communications
The aptly-named Frontier Internet is bravely foraging into rural America. It offers DSL, cable, and fiber internet connections to its customers. It covers regions that typically have few good options.
Pricing starts at $27.99 for 6Mbps speeds and goes up to $44.99 per month for up to 45Mbps max speeds. It makes for a good option in rural settings, but you’ll likely want something with better speed if available. Frontier also offers FiOS plans for customers in Texas, California, and Florida, but it’s not easy to come by.
That said, what you actually get for your money varies greatly. The further you get from urban areas, the harder it is to deliver and maintain a strong connection consistently. That seems to be one of Frontier’s major drawbacks. This is also one of those situations where you’ll want to chat up your neighbors to see how their experience has been.
Also, Frontier doesn’t have the best of reputations. The company ended up as one of the worst companies in the US for 2018, with customer satisfaction the second-lowest out of US ISPs in 2018.
CenturyLink
CenturyLink internet provider is a relatively inexpensive option. Like others, it heavily relies on bundling with a TV subscription to offer tempting packages. That said, you’re more than welcome to get internet-only plans that top out at 1Gbps. Pricing kicks off at $49 per month for speeds up to 100Mbps and jumps to $65 per month for speeds up to 940Mbps. One benefit of the 100Mbps plan is that you can keep your pricing for as long as you keep your plan.
CenturyLink’s service seems a little inconsistent, depending on your location, and on the whole a little slower than others. There’s also no guarantee you’ll have access to its maximum speeds. For example, CenturyLink tops out at 60Mbps in my neck of the woods. It also gets bad press for having poor customer service.
Optimum
Now owned by telecom company Altice, Optimum offers surprisingly robust internet service, at least when it comes to speed. The base plan costs $29.99 per month and offers speeds up to 20Mbps, with an extra $15 getting you up to 200Mbps speeds. 300Mbps speeds are actually more affordable at $39.99. Finally, $64.99 a month get you speeds up to 400Mbps.
Optimum has also recently added gigabit speeds that cost just $65 per month. For a very limited time, you can grab those gigabit speeds for $55 and pay the same price for the life of your plan. However, availability is extremely limited. Unless you live in New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, or a very small sliver of northeast Pennsylvania, Optimum won’t be available where you are.
